If There's Another Penalty, I'll Stand Behind the Ball Myself / Gabriel: Arsenal Returned for Revenge from Last Year's Final

Gabriel Magalhães, Arsenal defender, says at the press conference before the Lille match that the Gunners have set their sights on the Champions League title this year.

According to Sport Se, Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalais emphasized before the match against his former team in the European Champions League that the Gunners will fight with all their might for the championship in Europe and that the nightmare of the final penalty last year has not diminished his courage.

After winning 1-0 against Napoli in the first leg of the Champions League group stage, Arsenal will face France's Lille in their first home game at the Emirates Stadium this week. This meeting has a special flavor for Gabriel Magalais, because he will be standing in front of his former club.

The Brazilian defender of the Londoners appeared at the press conference before the match and spoke about the high motivation of Mikel Arteta's team to win the Champions League.

"I think we're all very happy to be back in the Champions League," Gabriel began with his excitement about returning to the tournament. We want to maintain this motivation and positive trend. Last year we had a very good performance in the Champions League and now we have a great opportunity to win this trophy. The motivation level of the team is very high and we want to try to win each cup. Tomorrow night we have a new opportunity to play in this competition in front of our own fans and we are ready to start. »

The Brazilian defender then pointed to the blocking of his penalty in the bitter final of last season against Paris Saint-Germain and said: "Anything can happen in the final game. We were fantastic during last season's matches and if we get into penalties again, I'm ready to stand behind the ball again and take the shot. My teammates encouraged me a lot after that match. Of course I was very upset, because no player likes to miss a penalty, but I learned from that experience and if I get another chance I will definitely take it. After that game in the Brazilian national team camp for the World Cup, the technical staff and the players gave me a lot of positive words, especially Marquinhos, who was a great help to me. Who does not know how bitter and painful it is to lose in the final and in the penalty shootout.

For Gabriel, this match is a reminder of his early days in Europe. Before joining Arsenal in 2020, the Brazilian defender played in 39 matches for Lille and scored two goals. "Tomorrow will be a very special day for me," he explained about the battle with his former team. I have a lot of heart for Lille. Facing the fans and playing in front of Lille is a very sweet event and I am happy to see them again."

Due to William Saliba's injury in the World Cup and his absence from the field, Gabriel has led Arsenal's defense alongside Ezri Konsa in the opening games of the season. "Kunsa adapted to the team very quickly from the first day," he said about adjusting to his new couple. He is a very high quality player and it feels good to play with him. We have the best central defense in Arsenal and our goal is to improve the quality of the defense. Of course, the conditions are different from the days when I play with Saliba, because Saliba and I were together for three or four years and we grew a lot during this time. We are still at the beginning with Azri, but he is smart and it is really easy to communicate with him in daily training. "We have a lot of room for improvement, but our path is completely right."

The Arsenal defender praised Mikel Arteta's strong role at the end of his speech and said: "I thank Mikel almost every week. Because of the pressure he brings to me and the team, the thirst he has for winning and the spirit he keeps alive in all of us. He gives us tremendous confidence to enjoy being on the pitch. I have made big changes since the day I came to London and Mikel is the main pillar of this development. "Every day, he tries to realize my potential as much as possible and it's really a pleasure to work under him."